Window Systems and Interface Components IAT 351

Week 3 Lecture 2 19.09.2012

• Assignment 1

• List your pair on the assignment 1 page of the wiki • Make a page for your pair • upload your assignment 1 in .zip format to wiki

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 2 Windows

• (Most) 2D GUIs are windowing interfaces: • they use rectangular boxes called windows to present the components of an application or the contents of a folder • Windowing was first demonstrated by the Xerox Alto and later incorporated into the Apple operating system and Microsoft Windows

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 3 WIMP and Widgets

• Main • Windows • Icons Widgets = • Menus • Pointers Windows + Gadgets

• Other Components • Lists • Controls • Display Components • Text Entry Components • Tool Containers

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 4 Windows

Multiple windows can pose management difficulties

• Studies have shown that the advantages offered by windowing systems can be negated by excess window manipulation requirements

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 5 Windows – Window States

• There are two types of window managers: • The operating system software • The user who must minimize, maximize, resize, access, and organize windows

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Windows – Window States

• Window States • Maximized—The window occupies the whole screen • Minimized—The window is reduced to a button or icon

1-7Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Windows – Window States

• Window States • Restored—The window returns to the previous dimensions. The window also becomes resizable and can overlap other windows

Tiled windows Overlapping windows Cascading windows Interrupted cascade

Stacked or carded

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 8 Tiled Windows

Collectively occupy the entire screen

Resized windows allow all program visible

Tiled Window manager positions all windows Windows Each window retains its title and tool bars

Windows become small, restricting visual content

Allows drag and drop objects between windows

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 9 Overlapping Windows

Positioned and sized by the user

Each window maintains its size until altered by the user Overlapping windows Active window overlaps all other windows

A window becomes active when it is clicked

Can see other windows partially

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Cascading Windows

A special type of overlapping presentation style

Windows are placed by the system manager Cascading windows Efficient use of screen real estate

Takes away positioning and sizing option from the user

A window becomes active when it is clicked, and bringing it to the top

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Windows – Window States

• Tiled windows afford drag-and-drop methods. • Overlapping windows use screen real estate efficiently, but they can become overwhelming • Cascading windows use screen real estate efficiently and can be used to create visual organization • Maximized windows are visually less complex, but they require easy navigation methods to get from window to window • Stacked/carded systems require serial presentation methods

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Windows - Components

• Windows XP Window Components

1-13Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Windows - Components

• Mac OS X Window Components

1-14Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Windows – Window Interfaces

• Multiple Document Interface • Single Document Interface • Controlled Single Document Interface • Tabbed Interface • Detachable Tabbed Interface

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 1-15 Window Interfaces – MDI

• Multiple Document Interface • The multiple document interface (MDI) is application-centric.

• An MDI application launches a primary window that serves as the work space for all open documents

• Adobe Creative Suite™, media editing

1-16Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Interfaces – MDI

Multiple Document Interface

Multiple document interface—Adobe PhotoShop® application. 1-17Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Interfaces – MDI

• Advantages of MDIs: • They conserve system resources • They create minimal visual clutter • They provide a coordinated work space • They allow multiple documents to be simultaneously visible

1-18Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Interfaces – MDI

• Disadvantages associated with MDIs: • Menus change according to the state of the active document • Document windows must remain within the MDI primary window • NOTE: This is no longer always true! • Floating palettes • Child windows can be minimized within the parent window— This increases the visual complexity of the screen, which may have other open parent windows

1-19Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Interfaces – SDI

• Single Document Interface • Single document interfaces (SDIs) are document-centric; • they open new primary windows for each instance of an application document

1-20Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Interfaces – SDI

Multiple primary windows Individual task bar buttons

Single Document Interface

Single document interface—Microsoft Internet Explorer® Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Interfaces – SDI

• Advantages of SDIs: • They are document-centric—The menus and toolbars refer only to the one child document window; this reflects the user’s point of view

• They are less visually complex

1-22Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Interfaces – SDI

• Disadvantages of SDIs: • They do not provide a way to group diverse but related document windows • Related documents cannot be separated from other documents of the same file type • The task bar can become full when too many documents are open • Cycling between windows can become difficult • Windows 7 and Mac OS X Uis accommodate these issues

1-23Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Interfaces – TDI

• Tabbed Document Interface • Incorporates the use of tabs to switch between documents/ windows • Some TDIs fix all document windows in a maximized state, and, therefore, no tiling or overlapping is possible • Others allow documents to be resized and minimized, which removes the tabs (becomes MDI)

1-24Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Interfaces – TDI

Tabbed Document Interface

1-25Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Dialog Boxes

Dialogue boxes provide a container for related, secondary functionality

Text formatting dialogue—Windows XP. (b) Preferences dialogue—Mac OS X.

1-26Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Dialog Boxes – Modal/Modeless

• Modal dialogues prohibit the user from doing anything until the issues raised by the dialogue are addressed • Modeless dialogues allow the user to access all program functionality when the dialogue is visible

1-27Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Dialog Boxes

• Dialogues can be used for: • Setting and altering the properties of an object • Executing a function such as Save • Carrying out a process such as Copy • Confirming actions • Alerting the user about errors

1-28Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Dialog Boxes – Expanding Dialogues

• Expanding dialogues give experienced users access to advanced functionality

1-29Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Panes, Frames, and Tabs

Panes provide visual grouping for related functionality

• Panes are an efficient way to provide functionality without forcing the user to navigate menus • Panes can be used to group related functionality, thereby providing a memory aid for the user • May impose extra management of grouping

1-30Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Panes, Frames, and Tabs

• Frames can be: • resized by dragging the splitters at their edges • minimized by clicking on their title bar

• Frames are often used in Web pages to create separate navigation areas

1-31Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Panes, Frames, and Tabs

Panes and frames, Adobe Flash®. 1-32Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Panes, Frames, and Tabs

Visual Studio 2010 1-33Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Panes, Frames and Tabs

• Tabs increase the size of the dialogue by stacking layers on top of each other and allow more elements to be accessed from one dialogue

• Stacked tabs move around to accommodate the different levels and they destroy location consistency

1-34Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Panes, Frames, and Tabs

1-35Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Panes, Frames, and Tabs

1-36Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Rationale

• Designers need to: • Decide which type of interface to use • (MDI, SDI, or TDI) • Make sure that the window components are sufficiently related • Find the proper balance between having: • too many windows (each with only a few components and functions) and • too few windows (each with an overwhelming amount of components and functions)

1-37Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Rationale

Secondary windows must address a discernible need • Unnecessary windows can cause confusion and can add cumbersome window manipulation tasks

• However, crowded windows can also be confusing

1-38Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Rationale

• Avoid window clutter • Windows should be created because of a need that cannot otherwise be filled • Window components must be related • Too many components in one window can be inefficient and confusing • Too many windows with little functionality can create needless window manipulation tasks

1-39Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Window Rationale

• Tabs and/or panes can be used to organize window functionality • Frequently used components must be readily available • Less frequently used components can be placed in a secondary window • Windows must visually indicate activation state

1-40Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Icons

• Icons are signs and represent a significant degree of cognitive complexity • If they are designed properly they can enhance the user’s experience • They can also run the risk of being obscure and ambiguous • Create confusion and frustration

• Critically important in mobile interfaces • Very vulnerable to perceptual artifacts and memory

1-41Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Menus

• Advantages • Low memory requirements • Self-explanatory • Easy to undo errors • Appropriate for beginners • Disadvantages • Rigid and inflexible navigation • Inefficient for large menu navigation • Inefficient use of screen real estate • Slow for expert users

1-42Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Menus

• basically lists of options • option lists can consist of any type of data but text usually works best • Options are generally indented in relation to the title • Frequently used items should be placed at the top • Ordered lists can have a separate section at the top for frequently used items that might normally appear near the bottom • These lists can be ordered or unordered

1-43Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Menus

• Structure • Menus should have at least two options; otherwise they should be combined with another menu • Menu options can be grouped using visual separators such as lines or backgrounds

• Options that cause destructive actions should be isolated from other options

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Menus: Presentation

• Consistency in placement, order, wording, highlighting etc. should be maintained • Titles and options must be unambiguous • (Apple™) Use standard menu titles and options because they are visually familiar and are used like icons.

• Options should visually include indications of function keys and keyboard accelerators • Options that cause destructive actions should be isolated from other options

1-45Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Menus: Behaviour

• Options should be highlighted when the pointer passes over them • Activated options should have a visual indication such as a check mark • If an option is not available, it should be made inaccessible and visually “grayed out” • Inaccessible (grayed out) options should remain on the menu in their usual location

1-46Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 • What breaks these rules?????

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 47 Secondary menus

• Use secondary, cascading menus to group related options • This simplifies decisions by limiting possible choices • Options that lead to secondary menus should have visual indicators • should have a visual indication such as an arrow • should use an ellipsis • Menus can be detached and free floating or docked on the sides or bottom of the window

1-48Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Menu accelerators

• Menus are geared to novice users • Accelerators accommodate power users

• Scheme needs to be internally and externally consistent

• Mixing schema is confusing!

Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 49 Menu titles

Menu titles must convey all the necessary information needed for a user to select one menu over another

• The two most important characteristics of menu titles and options: • Descriptiveness • Consistency

1-50Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 The WIMP Interface - Menus

Menus are geared to novice users

Menu titles should be unambiguously descriptive of the task

Use standard menu titles; they are recognized as icons, not words

Parallel construction can reduce cognitive load

Use industry standards, when available, for keyboard accelerators

1-51Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 The WIMP Interface – Menu Bars

• The menu bar is a menu of pull-down menus

Menu bar—Adobe Illustrator® Menu bar—Mac OS X.

1-52Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 The WIMP Interface – Pull-Downs

• Pull-downs are used for long lists of options

Pull-down menu with alternating options: Can’t Undo/Undo Typing.

1-53Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 The WIMP Interface – Cascading Menus

• Cascading Menus

1-54Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 The WIMP Interface – Cascading Menus

• Expanding Menus Expanding menus make some information invisible

Default condensed menu Menu after Check for Updates was selected Full menu (it appears in the second grouping)

1-55Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Context sensitive menus

• Pop-ups are used for context-sensitive lists • They offer context-sensitive options and are located within the work space • They can be automatic( activated when the pointer is over a “hot spot” ) • Or available/invoked (require a right-click) • Cursor may need to indicate

1-56Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Options

• Radio buttons offer a set of mutually exclusive choices

• Checkboxes offer a limited set of non–mutually exclusive choices

1-57Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Pointers

• The pointer (cursor) is the visual manifestation of the mouse or pointing device • It acts as the user’s proxy in the virtual GUI environment

• instigate actions and provide context-sensitive information about processes

1-58Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Pointers

Cursor hinting can help to inform the user about system states and functionality

The cursor will often fall within the user’s foveal vision, so precision can be utilised

1-59Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Other Components

• Lists • Controls • Display Components • Text Entry Components • Tool Containers

1-60Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Lists!

• Presents choices of: • Options • Values • Properties • Considered menus, but are more limited • Selections from a list affect a selected object

1-61Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Microsoft Word Lists

• A listbox is a single-level dropdown menu with a list of choices that never lead to further options

Windows XP Mac OS X

1-62Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012

Listboxes

• Always have visible options • # of options depends on the size of the box • May contain checkboxes • Are compact • Good for small screens • Lists need labels!!!

1-63Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Microsoft Word Lists: Comboboxes

• Comboboxes are useful for long lists that may be cumbersome for scrolling

Users can start • typing if they know what they want (fast) • scroll through a list if they do not (helpful)

1-64Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012

Lists: Spinners

• The spinner contains a limited list of values that can be incremented or decremented using two arrows • User can type into the text box • Has default values displayed • Good for short, finite choices • Bad when users need to know the ordering system or incremental value before use

1-65Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Lists: Sliders

• A slider is a calibrated tool, such as a thermometer, that displays a continuum of values • A text box will display what the arm is on • Show range • Show incremental value • Must fit on screen

1-66Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Lists - Summary

Use lists for multiple options that do not fit on the normal screen Calibration values used in lists should be alterable • Lists use fixed set of options • Should be able to change • i.e. Fahrenheit to Celsius, miles to kilometers Lists are suitable for groups with a limited number of options • Must fit on a small screen

1-67Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Controls

• Control components execute functions immediately • Command Buttons: Command buttons have short labels and a 3D appearance. • Achieved by shading • Should look like light is coming over user’s left shoulder

1-68Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Controls

• Toolbar/Palette Buttons: Toolbar/Palette buttons function like command buttons, but they have icons instead of labels and often do not have a 3D appearance

• Icon could have a drop-down toolbar with more options

• Icon would have small arrow on bottom right corner to indicate extra toolbar

• Disadvantage - pictures need memorizing

1-69Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Toolbar/Pallet buttons—Adobe PhotoShop® Display Components

• Scrollbars are used to move within long documents (line, page, section) • Better for fine-scale navigation than arrow keys • Composed of a track and a thumb • Thumb’s position is relative to where the user is • Thumb’s size is relative to size of the document • Needs mouse interaction • Interrupts workflow • Can be tedious • Horizontal scrollbars inefficient

1-70Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Splitters

• Splitters are used to segment widows into separate panes • User must know they exist • Not for beginners!

1-71Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Other Components – Text Entry Components

• A text box should be used when there is a need to gather small, discrete amounts of information

• Text fields are multiline text boxes and are used to collect paragraph- length text

1-72Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Other Components – Text Entry Components

Text entry concerns: • Need labels so users know what to put • Could hint (mm/dd/yyyy) • Need to restrict users from entering invalid information • Example: No more than 5 digit input for a zip accepted • Do not let user continue until provided correct info • Error messages

1-73Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012 Other Components – Tool Containers

• Toolbars contain buttons or icons for an application’s common functions and are generally found at the top or bottom of the primary window

• Tool palettes also contain tools for the most common application functions • Difference: Toolbars change shape when docked, tool palettes do not

1-74Advanced HCI | IAT351 | 19.09.2012